Bab 37: I'm not soft, I'm sympathetic

Her hands stilled as she stared at the steward in disbelief. "How?"

He blinked, startled at the calmness in her tone, but answered obediently. "He appears to have been poisoned somehow."

She squinted at him. "How long ago?"

"Recently, my Empress...one of the guards discovered him recently expired after they gave him food."

She blinked rapidly. "S-someone in the palace poisoned him??"

Archibald's lips pressed together into a line. "The kitchen servants are being interrogated currently, but so far none of them have been suspicious."

She clenched her jaw. "We don't have a high suspicion on anyone at this time, then? Are the guards certain no one else came in except for the one who fed him?"

"Everyone is being detained until the culprit is found," Archibald promised.

She pursed her lips, glancing down at Phoenix.

The man's gaze was razor sharp, watching Archibald.